


Bit By Bit

by Mortimer_Dead_Sea



Series: 1, 2, 3, 4 Series [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Eren Hates Nile, Eren Thought Levi Hated Nile, Eren's Thoughts on the Situation, Hella Oblivious Eren, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Lowkey Parental Superiors, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Mentioned Major Character Death, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, eren's pov, very mild swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 13:59:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11602086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mortimer_Dead_Sea/pseuds/Mortimer_Dead_Sea
Summary: "He half expected Levi to kick his ass for laughing, but Levi’s scowl slowly turned into a smile.Eren wasn’t entirely sure he had seen Levi smile either now that he thought about it, his expression usually being brutally serious.....He couldn’t help but think of how surreal that was."Eren isn't entirely sure what to make of the fact that Levi and Nile spend a lot of time around each other.





	Bit By Bit

**Author's Note:**

> I had this thought for a while and I finally got it onto paper. I wrote it late and was really amused by it. I highkey headcanon Eren being super oblivious to everyone around him.
> 
> Turned out a bit differently to how I expected, but that's chill.
> 
> Part of the series, you could probably read it alone, but you might end up being just as surprised as Eren if you haven't read the other ones.

Eren was growing accustomed to the fact that the Survey Corps and Military Police were working together far more than they had been before; he held a sort of reservation with the Military Police. He found them cowardly, disgusting swine ever since he had seen them all in that courtroom. Perhaps it was a mistake to voice that opinion out loud, but it seemed to work out for him in the end.

He knew Nile Dawk, Commander of the Military Police himself, had moved in with Erwin and Levi a while ago. Eren had wondered what the purpose of having them all live together was; he figured it would be easier for them to strategize and communicate on whatever problems were coming their way, but if that were the case, what about Commander Pixis and his second-in-command? What about Nile’s second-in-command, or Hanji? For the arrangement to truly be effective, shouldn’t they _all_ be under one roof?

Eren didn’t think about it too hard, he had never been one for strategy. That was certainly more in Armin's wheelhouse, however when he had asked Armin what he had thought, even he couldn’t come up with much of a reason. If anything, Erwin had spoken to Pixis and the Commander-in-Chief about the current political situation far more than he had with Nile given that the Military Police had their own problems to attend to, so having Nile over the other two made no sense.

He stuttered through his entire explanation, which surprised Eren, given Armin was often very sure of his analytical skills, even when he knew he didn’t have much to say on the matter. Why did he seem so nervous?

Perhaps it was because it had to do with their superior officers, but even then Armin had still been sure of himself in the past. Eren decided to let it be.

His confusion rose again, when Erwin died, and Nile and Levi continued to live together. If Hanji were commander, shouldn’t they be living with them now? Eren wanted to ask Armin, but given the fact that Armin had been chosen over Erwin, Eren decided that it might not be the best idea at the moment.

He caught wind that Levi and Nile would be taking a trip to the current Survey Corps Headquarters and in a few days time, showed up they did. People tended to pay them no mind, aside from the occasional sideways glance to Nile. They all seemed to whisper amongst themselves however, much to Eren’s confusion.

Levi and Nile met with a group of Survey Corps soldiers, as well as soldiers from the Military Police and Garrison. The Commander-in-Chief and Pixis also joined them, as well as a few other important citizens.

The meeting lasted a long time and Eren was returning from tending to the horses when he saw everyone clear out, going to their respective rooms that had been cleared for them.

Levi walked by, Nile in tow. “What have you been up to brat?”

“I was just tending to the horses, Sir,” Eren said, mouth growing a bit dry.

“Good,” Levi said, going on his way. Nile seemed to eye Eren, who glared in turn.

The next time he saw Nile, he was casually lounging in the empty mess hall, an old and worn room, with stone walls, wooden tables, and dim lighting. He had what appeared to be a cup of tea in front of him. Levi sat across from him. Eren carefully slid out of view so they wouldn’t see him.

“Why do you hold your cup like that?” Nile asked.

Levi raised an eyebrow at him, but set his cup down.

“When I was younger I found a tea set and tried to use it, but I ended up breaking the handle of one,” he explained. “So I got into the habit of never holding one by the handle.”

Nile laughed. Eren had never heard Nile laugh before. Hell he had never seen him smile before; the only facial expressions he’d ever seen on the man were the stone-cold serious one and the look of absolute shock.

He half expected Levi to kick his ass for laughing, but Levi’s scowl slowly turned into a smile.

Eren wasn’t entirely sure he had seen Levi smile either now that he thought about it, his expression usually being brutally serious.

It occurred to him that he was being very rude, but he wasn’t sure how to leave without drawing attention to himself. Then he heard whispering and the two were standing and leaving, tea cups in hand. Eren stood in the shadows as they left, and continued to stand there until he deemed it safe to leave.

He couldn’t help but think of how surreal that was.

\----

The meetings were to last over the course of about a week. Over time, Nile’s presence bothered him less.

It occurred to Eren that, unless he was speaking to his subordinates, Levi was with Nile. Eren wondered why, hearing unintelligible whispers around him. When they walked through the halls, Levi ignored the people, usual scowl on his face, but Nile looked bothered.

When Eren went back to the mess hall, Nile sat lone, tea cup in front of him. He stared intently at it, looking almost angry at it. Given Levi wasn’t around, Eren just slowly made his way through, not wanting to alert Nile of his presence, but also not being terribly worried if he did.

Unfortunately, he hit his head on an overhead beam by the side of the wall and let out a groan. He felt eyes staring at him and he turned to see Nile looking at him. His facial expression softened ever-so-slightly, but he still didn’t look very happy.

“Why are you in here?” Nile asked.

Eren swallowed dryly. He didn’t really like Nile, but he wasn’t entirely sure how to handle him.

“Short cut,” he said.

Nile hummed and then turned back around. Eren skedaddled out of the mess hall, running into Levi on his way out.

“Is Nile in there?”

He nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“Have you been giving him trouble?”

He shook his head. “No, Sir.”

“Good.”

With that, Levi walked inside. Eren had been sure for a long time that Levi hated Nile about as much as he did.

After the past few days, he was just confused.

\----

“Why are you still awake brat?”

Eren turned to see Levi walking up to him.

“What do you mean, Sir?” Eren asked.

“Curfew is about to be called,” Levi informed.

“I know, but it hasn’t been called yet and I still have things that I have to get done.” Eren dropped the formalities, as he usually did whenever their conversations progressed. It had bothered Levi at first, but he had grown used to it.

“Well either way, you need to sleep,” Levi said.

Eren scrunched his nose. His superiors, especially Levi and Hanji (and weirdly enough Mike on occasion) would say things like that to him, almost like a parent would. It was strange, and whether Eren loved or hated it depended on his mood.

He kind of hated it right now.

“I’ll be fine,” he said.

Levi opened his mouth, but stopped when he heard the sound of military issued boots making their way down the hall. He turned and saw Nile.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“I was just telling Eren he should get some rest,” Levi answered.

“I still have work to get done,” Eren argued again.

“You should listen to your superiors,” Nile told him.

Eren glared at him. His words made him sound like a soldier, but his tone made him sound like an annoyed dad.

Why was _Nile_ of all people acting like his damn parent?

“Yeah, alright.” And why did he have to sound like their annoying teenage son?

He walked off into the direction of his room, hearing boots continue on their way.

Eren grew more confused.

\----

He got into an argument with Nile. It was inevitable really, Eren saw it coming. He couldn’t be in his presence for an extended period of time and be expected to not pick a fight, that’s not how this worked.

So he was arguing with Nile in the mess hall. He wasn’t entirely sure what about, and frankly he wasn’t really sure that Nile knew either, but what did Eren care?

The doors opened, and neither of them paid mind to them, until they heard a voice.

“I thought I said not to let this happen.” It was Levi’s voice.

Eren didn’t know what Levi was talking about; sure he had asked Eren if he was giving Nile trouble and was glad that he wasn’t, but he had never directly told him not to.

“Yeah, yeah,” Nile said. It dawned on Eren that Levi was talking to Nile, who looked annoyed, but also apologetic.

What the hell was happening?

\----

Levi’s mild threat did not stop the two of them as they got into yet another argument, one of several actually.

Finally, Levi had had enough.

“Nile!” The man in question froze mid-retort. Levi’s voice was like steel. “Be nice to the brat.”

Nile looked annoyed, but he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, accepting defeat.

“And you…” Levi turned to Eren, who awaited death with stiff shoulders and tightly shut eyes.

“Be nice to my fiance.”

Eren’s eyes snapped back open, his mind reeling. Levi was sitting down across from Nile, who looked equal parts smug and horrified.

Levi looked at Eren and motioned for him to leave. Eren did as such, practically running out.

When he got to his room, he tried to sort out what he had just learned.

Were Levi and Nile actually together? He doubted Levi would just tell him that if it weren’t true, and a lot of things made sense now, but what about when Erwin lived with them? Had they all been dating? How did that work? Is that why Mike had lived with Erwin and Levi before? Is that what everyone was whispering about? Is that why Armin was so nervous before? Was Eren the only one who hadn’t known to any degree?

He flopped face down onto his bed, not even taking off his gear or boots.

The entire transaction had given him more questions than answers.

\----

When he saw Levi again, he was cleaning the windows.

“May I ask you something, Sir?” Eren asked.

Levi turned to him, and set down his cleaning supplied. “Sure.”

Eren licked his dry lips before blurting out. “Who else knows?”

Levi leaned back against the wall, eyebrow raised. “About me and Nile?”

Eren nodded.

“I believe everyone has their suspicions,” Levi said. “But only you and Hanji have been directly told.”

Eren simply nodded again.

“Any other questions?” Levi asked.

Eren kind of wanted to ask about Mike and Erwin, but figured it wasn’t his place, and knew that Levi wasn’t generally fond of talking about dead loved ones.

He also wanted to know when it had actually happened, but again, it didn’t feel like his place.

He eventually asked the one thing he was simply curious about.

“Why don’t you and Nile just get married?” Eren asked. “Why stay engaged?”

“Because who would simply let us get married?” Levi asked in turn. “The Commander of the Military Police and the Survey Corps’ Lance Corporal. Nobody would just allow it.”

Levi turned his head in order to look outside. “But if we get out of this living nightmare, that won’t matter anymore.”

Eren nodded, looking down at the floor.

“Uh… One more thing?” Eren asked.

Levi nodded, expectant.

“Why did you tell me?”

Levi smiled ever so slightly at that. “Because I trust you. And since I do, then so can Nile.”

Eren was surprised at that, but said nothing further.

He heard the doors opened and Nile walked in. When he noticed Eren, he seemed a bit awkward, which was almost amusing.

“Oh, good,” Levi said. “Grab a rag, I have to show you how to clean properly.”

Nile glared, but did as he was told, lifting up a rag and a scarf to tie around his face,

“Good luck marrying _that_ clean freak.”

The world seemed to freeze as soon as it exited Eren’s mouth, and both Levi and Nile turned to look at him. Levi glared darkly while Nile looked concerned for his safety.

Eren bolted out of there as quickly as his feet could carry him. He could hear Nile’s laughter get farther and farther away.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm extremely amused at the thought of Levi teaching any SOs how to clean to his standard (because he does that with anybody he has to live with)
> 
> Well, hope you liked it. I have a couple other ideas so we'll see what happens.


End file.
